A review by bookishchristiana
Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

 “I couldn't live where there were no trees--something vital in me would starve.”
&
 “I love to smell flowers in the dark," she said. "You get hold of their soul then.” 
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 “All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer — one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going — one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world.” - Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams.

There are so many beautiful quotes to choose from in this book; L.M. Montgomery's way of writing about nature and friendship is unparalleled, in my opinion! Anne's House of Dreams is the 5th book in the Anne series, and the final one that I possess a physical copy of. In my previous review, I mentioned that the series really comes to a conclusive end with the 3rd book. However, if you haven't had enough of Anne's life and would like to read more about her married life with Gilbert, I would still recommend this one. Compared to the 4th book, I preferred this one a lot more; there is a new cast of characters, and we get to see much more of Gilbert than in some of the previous books (I must admit, I am a big Gilbert fan).

Alongside the usual nature writing and short comedic stories, this book has a more overarching plot featuring Anne's new friend Leslie Moore; a young married woman who, through an unfortunate series of events, has been left to look after an ill husband (who previously abused her) with no way of setting herself free. Anne and Gilbert, along with their other village friends, try to brighten Leslie's life and help her out of her situation, resulting in a plot twist that I genuinely didn't see coming!

I think perhaps my favourite character, though, is Miss Cornelia Bryant, an 'old-maid' who hates men and has the catchphrase "just like a man". Honestly, she's an icon. I will be using her catchphrase from now on too. There is also Captain Jim, a dear old man who has many great adventures to talk about and is hoping to publish a 'life book'. Overall, the book focuses on Anne and Gilbert getting settled into married life, creating a new home, making great friends, and trying to start a family. For those who have experienced traumatic pregnancies, I advise looking up trigger warnings, as there are some particularly sad moments in the book (more so than previous ones). But, overall, just like her other works, L.M. Montgomery is so good at sprinkling joy into everyday life and reminding us how beautiful the natural world can be.

This might be my last review of the Anne series for a while, until I pick up a physical copy of the next book in Anne's adventures. I will always treasure these books for the warmth they gave me when I was younger, and the joy they still bring me now. - C x 
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